Clara and Orion Will Take You On An Interesting Journey
The Journey Begins
When eleven-year-old Clara, whose full name is Clarity Kartoffel, and her friend Orion break their neighbor’s glass gazing ball, it is a bigger problem than you might imagine. Why? Because rumors have been flying for years about the scary old man who lives at the end of the street. Yes, the man who lives in the house that once was adorned with an intact gazing ball!
What about an artist’s life?
Clara is a budding artist who, through research, has decided that most “real” artists live or have lived a tough and tortured life. So even before this horrible gazing ball accident, she’d begun to realize that her present life wasn’t indicative of a true artist.
So what’s a non-tortured, budding artist to do?
Why of course she should suffer like a true artist and trudge up the scary walkway to the scary old house and apologize to the frightening old man. Then she will see what she can do to make things right.
And she will do this all alone. After all, Orion has asthma, and there’s no need to overexcite him.
Surely what she is doing will contribute to a tough, tortured life, right?
But what Clara discovers inside old Mr. Vogelman’s house surprises her on a real journey. One far from what she imagined.
What’s the deal?
To pay for the broken glass ball Clara and the old, sometimes scary Vogelman strike up an unusual deal. You see, while waiting to apologize, Clara stumbles on the fact that her reclusive neighbor is an artist. They make an arrangement that ends up working for both of them. She can be his helper as he works on his art. He ends up challenging her to throw away her eraser and draw what she sees, not what she wants to see.
Huh? Do you have to be an artist to understand that?
. . . and other stuff
As if paying off a broken gazing ball isn’t enough, Clara gets paired up on a project with a new girl in her class, and Orion and Clara face a challenge regarding their friendship.
And The Real Tragedy Comes Crashing Down
Life is always full of opportunities to grow and learn. In this book both Orion and Clara allow you to amble down their eye-opening, wonderful journey that starts with a broken gazing ball and ends with lots of new understanding of people, circumstances, bullying, sadness, and much more.
Details
- Title: A Many Feathered Thing
- Author: Lisa Gerlits
- Publisher: Capstone Editions (March 1, 2020)
- Age Range: 9 – 14 years
- Hardcover: 304 pages
My Thoughts
Though this is not labeled an adult book, it drew me in almost immediately. And it wasn’t just the story, but the believable, unique characters. Not one or two, but all of them stood apart yet felt true to their age, and surroundings. Their relationships with each other melted my heart. And the author had a way of lacing this beautiful story with inspirational thoughts. Though it never felt didactic.
It is a story of growth and understanding for all of the characters.
And for teachers who are studying Anne Frank in classrooms, consider reading this book aloud to the class. There is so much to be gained by it since the life of Anne Frank is included in this book.
I would easily recommend this to adults. In my opinion, it’s not just for 9 – 14 year-olds.
This is a story that will touch your heart in so many ways. If you are like me, the characters will remain in your thoughts long after you close the book. This is a story of growth, death, friendship, pride, anger, forgiveness, and much more.
My thanks to Capstone and NetGalley for this ARC and the ability to express my true feelings regarding this book.
What Concerned Me
Nothing at all.
What I Liked Most
I was extremely impressed with the author’s insight into each character’s actions and emotions.
About the Author
Lisa Gerlits is a writer, muralist, and children’s art teacher. She graduated with honors from Lewis and Clark College with a degree in English, where she published short stories, wrote and produced plays, and won an Academy of American Poets prize. She spent ten years traveling and volunteering before settling down in Silverton, Oregon, with her family.
